When Pompeii came under Roman rule just over 2,000 years ago, it was a thriving town in a lush region, with a rich cultural life and its own port. It quickly became a favorite resort spot for wealthy Romans and attracted much new settlement, until it was buried under a 23-foot thick blanket of searing hot ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Yet that tragedy resulted in the remarkable preservation of Pompeii's temples, homes, public spaces, statues, and artistic treasures. This book, a veritable traveler's guide to the ancient city, is stuffed with labeled plan views, three-dimensional maps, and hundreds of color photographs and drawings, up to 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches.